Can Bandits Raise Marines?

On the shore of Foosha Village.

The Red Force had long since disappeared from sight, but Luffy was still hanging over the dock railing, craning his neck toward the horizon and waving his hand so fast it was almost a blur.

"Shanks! When I grow up, I'll come find you!"

"Find him, my foot!"

Garp grabbed him by the back of his collar and hauled him back.

The little guy had two big, round bumps on his head, but he stuck out his neck and refused to back down. "I'm going to be a pirate!"

Ron watched with amusement. "Old man, don't forget my year's supply of rice crackers."

"What rice crackers?"

Garp played dumb, picking his nose and looking up at the sky.

"The bet we made before we set sail. You said Luffy would definitely start shouting that he wanted to be a marine when he saw you."

Ron pointed at Luffy.

"And what happened? The kid shouted that he wanted to be a pirate more than once, right in front of you."

"That red-haired brat led him astray!"

"So you admit you lost?"

"No!"

Ron was silent for two seconds. "Your ability to welch on a bet is a good match for your parenting skills."

"You brat!"

Garp turned around in a huff, but his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he'd thought of a brilliant idea.

"If pirates are showing up in Foosha Village, we can't let Luffy stay here!"

"And then?"

"A change of scenery! I'll show you a real marine training ground!"

Ron's interest was piqued. "There's a place like that in the East Blue?"

"Mount Colubo!"

"...Isn't that a bandit hideout?"

"Cut the chatter! Follow me!"

Garp grabbed Luffy by the back of his collar and headed into the mountains.

Luffy kept struggling. "Grandpa, I want to go find Shanks!"

"What for? Learn to use your fists from me, and you can catch him someday!"

"I don't want to catch my friend!"

A vein throbbed on Garp's forehead again.

Ron watched the grandfather and grandson walk away and sighed.

That year's supply of rice crackers was looking doubtful.

The Dadan Family's cabin on Mount Colubo.

"Time to eat! If anyone steals my meat again today, I'll chop their paws off!"

Dadan had barely sat down when someone kicked the wooden door open with a bang.

"Dadan! I've come to see you!"

The meat fell straight out of her mouth and into her bowl.

"Garp?! Why is it you again?!"

The next second, she noticed a young marine standing behind Garp.

He wore a white Justice Coat, had the rank insignia of a Rear Admiral on his shoulders, and carried a frightening, pitch-black greatsword on his back.

Dadan's eyes widened at once.

"G-Garp..."

She scooted herself and her chair half a meter backward.

"You actually brought a Rear Admiral to arrest me?!"

Ron spread his hands.

"Don't look at me. I was dragged here too."

Garp set Luffy down on the floor. "From now on, you'll raise this boy too!"

"Huh?!"

Dadan looked at Luffy, then at Garp, her voice cracking. "I've already got Ace here! That little bastard throws the mountain into chaos every day! And now you want to dump another one on me?!"

"No! Absolutely not!!"

Garp calmly picked his nose. "Then those bandit activities of yours..."

Dadan's expression changed at once, and she put on a sincere face. "I'll raise him!"

The bandits in the cabin all lowered their heads in unison, pretending to look at the floor.

Ron covered his face.

"Old man, you dump kids on bandits to raise and still expect them to become marines?"

"What, is that a problem?"

"Are you kidding me?!"

For the first time, Dadan felt that the marine Rear Admiral in front of her truly understood her.

She was a bandit!

Whenever she spotted a marine patrol in the distance, she usually wanted nothing more than to take her men and hide in the woods.

But now look at this.

The Hero of the Marines had personally brought his grandson to her and expected her to raise him into a marine?

Wasn't this a joke?!

She nodded furiously in agreement. "Exactly! How does that make any sense?!"

Garp glanced at her. "You got a problem with it?"

"No! I'll make sure he grows up healthy and plump!"

Luffy had smelled the stewed meat long ago and had sneaked up onto the table. "Wow! So much meat!"

Dadan saw him reach straight into the pot, and her blood pressure shot up.

"Get down from there!!"

Ron leaned against the doorframe, finding the whole thing more absurd the longer he watched.

Toward evening, the wooden door was pushed open again.

A black-haired boy dragged a wild beast he'd hunted inside. He was covered in mud, and there were fresh scrapes on his cheeks.

"Dadan, something extra for dinner tonight."

Ace looked up and saw Garp, and his face immediately soured.

"Why is it you again, you stinking old man?"

Then he noticed Luffy gnawing on meat beside him, and his frown deepened.

"Why is there another little brat here?"

Garp laughed heartily. "Ace! This is Luffy. You'll be living together from now on!!"

"Who wants to live with him?!"

Luffy swallowed his meat and immediately shot back, "You're the little brat!"

"Say that again if you dare!"

"Fine, I will!"

The two children were on the verge of fighting, while Ron quietly studied Ace from the side.

Gol D. Roger's son.

Fire Fist, Whitebeard, Marineford... Images from his previous life flashed through his mind.

But the Ace in front of him was just a nine-year-old child who had to go into the mountains and hunt for his own dinner.

Ron looked away.

Ace, however, noticed his rank, and his eyes instantly turned wary.

"What's a marine doing here?"

"Accompanying an old man who doesn't know how to raise kids while he drops off a kid."

"Ron! Who are you talking about?!" Garp roared.

Ace ignored Garp and kept staring at Ron.

"Then why do you keep looking at me?"

Ron pulled a packet of rice crackers from Garp's pocket.

"I was looking at that beast you dragged in."

"Huh?"

"It's huge. You brought it down?"

"Who else?!"

"Not bad. You're young, but you're pretty capable."

Ron took a bite of a rice cracker and pointed at the table.

"What are you standing there for? Waiting for it to jump into the pot by itself?"

Ace froze.

"W-who asked you?!"

Despite what he said, Ace still dragged his catch toward the kitchen.

Just as he reached the doorway, a shout suddenly came from outside.

"Ace!"

Ace stopped and looked back.

A blond boy wearing a top hat and goggles came running over, lowering his voice as he ran. "I counted the money we saved last time. A few more scores and we can—"

He looked up and saw the Justice Coat inside the cabin, then skidded to a halt.

"A marine?!"

Sabo turned and ran.

Click.

A door appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

He charged straight through it and came running out the other side of the cabin the next second.

"Huh?"

Sabo didn't stop to think. He turned and ran in another direction.

Click.

Another door.

He popped out beside the table from before and nearly crashed into Dadan's arms.

"Hey! You little brat!"

Sabo gritted his teeth and tried a third direction.

Click.

This time he came straight out behind Ace and slammed into his back, making Ace's eyes bulge.

"Sabo! You did that on purpose, didn't you?!"

"I did not!"

Sabo held his head, then suddenly realized what was happening.

Wait!

He whipped his head around and stared fixedly at Ron by the door.

"You're the one behind this?!"

Ron withdrew his hand with a smile.

"Oh? It only took you three tries to figure it out?"

"You bastard!!"

Luffy's eyes sparkled as he rushed over to Ron. "Wow! Big brother! Your ability is amazing!"

Ron patted his head. "A lot more dependable than your dream of being a pirate."

"No, it's not! Pirates are the best!"

Only then did Sabo notice the unfamiliar little brat beside Ace.

"Who's he?"

"Trouble the stinking old man dumped on me," Ace said, scowling.

Luffy, however, eagerly crowded closer. "You were talking about saving money? Are you going to buy a ship?!"

Ace immediately grew wary. "What's it to you?"

"Are you going to be pirates too?"

"We will be someday." Ace lifted his chin, looking proud.

Sabo straightened his top hat, his eyes shining. "I'm going out to sea to see a world that's truly free!"

"Me too!" Luffy raised both hands, joining in.

And the smile slowly faded from Garp's face.

"One." He pointed at Ace.

"Two." He pointed at Sabo.

"Three." Finally, his finger stopped on Luffy.

"You three all want to be pirates?!"

"Yeah!!"

The three answered in perfect unison, their voices loud and clear.

Ron silently took a step back.

Dadan backed away with him.

The mountain bandits crowded into the corner in perfect unison, as though they had rehearsed it beforehand.

The veins on Garp's forehead bulged one by one.

"Good! Very good!"

"Today, I'll show you what an education of love means!!"

Deep in Mount Colubo.

Garp carried the three brats to the edge of a dense forest and pointed toward the beastly roars coming from within.

"Catch three wild boars before tonight, or none of you gets dinner!"

Ron looked up at the sky. The sun was almost down.

"Are you sure there are three wild boars in there?"

"Yes! I saw six of them with my own eyes!"

Ace glared. "Who wants to listen to you?!"

Sabo panicked. "I only came here to find Ace!"

Luffy clutched his stomach and wailed, "I'm hungry!!"

"Then get moving!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Garp kicked the three brats into the forest, one kick apiece. Curses and screams immediately rang out from among the trees.

"You rotten old man!"

"My top hat!"

"Chicken—!"

Ron watched the three little figures tumble out of sight into the forest and fell into thought.

"Old man."

"What?"

"This Marine training plan of yours..."

He turned to look at Garp, whose face was full of pride, and spoke slowly.

"Why does it look more and more like a test to join a mountain bandit gang?"